What appears to be the last major hurdle for a new frac sand mine was crossed Monday night when the Glenwood City Council voted 4-2 to annex the mine land into the city, giving local control of the controversial project to the city.

Last month the council approved a mining agreement with Texas-based Vista Sand, which also has agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the School District of Glenwood City over issues relating to the mine.

The company still needs environmental permit approval at the state level before it can begin digging, said Anders Helquist, an attorney for Vista Sand.

"This was kind of the last big step in terms of local permits," Helquist said of Monday's vote.

Glenwood City Mayor John Larson spoke of the job creation associated with frack sand mining during a city council meeting Monday, May 12. The council voted 4-2to annex proposed mining land. (Pioneer Press: Andy Rathbun)

There was little discussion by the council of the annexation Monday night.

At one point, Mayor John Larson brought up a vote last week by St. Croix County's Health and Human Services Board that asked the city to delay a vote on annexation for 90 days, but Larson dismissed the board's recommendation as "just an effort to delay" that was coming at the 11th hour.

Health and Human Services Board Chair Christopher Babbitt said Tuesday that the board's meeting last week was the first since a large turnover of county supervisors occurred in April's election -- he himself is a new member -- and the board wanted to "at least say something on the issue."

Babbitt added that the board hoped to encourage the city to slow down the process as the county studies health concerns over frac sand mining.

"We felt strongly enough about the potential health issues that we wanted to see if Glenwood City was willing to give us more time to figure out the best way to react to this," he said.

Silica sand, which is used in hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from the ground, can be found in large quantities in western Wisconsin.

When breathed in, small, crystalline particles from the sand can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause a number of health problems over time, including tissue damage, lung infections, lung disease and lung cancer, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which states there are regulations in place to protect mine workers and the public from the dust created by mining, processing and transporting the sand.

Before it was annexed into the city Monday, the mining land had been in the town of Glenwood -- which is separate from the City of Glenwood. That put approval for the project in the hands of the county. Vista Sand applied for a non-metallic mining permit from the county last year, but the application was determined by the county to be incomplete.

The annexation now shifts control of the project from the county to the city.

The city council also voted Monday to incorporate a memorandum of understanding between the school district and Vista Sand into its own mining agreement with the company, a move which gives the community "one more level of protection," said District Administrator Tim Emholtz.

By adding the memorandum of understanding's changes to oversight, including an agreement over air monitoring, the district now has a "level of comfort for students and staff" over the project, Emholtz told the council during Monday's meeting.

Air monitoring will be done six times a week for the first year, and if acceptable dust levels are maintained, the frequency of monitoring may be reduced, although random checks can be done, Emholtz said, adding that there will also be a committee formed to look at mining issues.

"Throughout the process, Vista Sand demonstrated its commitment to being a community partner by entering proactive mining agreements with both the City and local School District," R.J. Sikes, operating partner for Vista Sand, said in a statement Tuesday. "These agreements address community concerns and show Vista Sand is a responsible mining company that will use environmentally sound mining practices as we already do in our existing Texas operations."

Several members of the public spoke out against the mine during Monday's meeting, expressing concern for a range of issues, from the effects of truck traffic on the local Amish community to the health effects of silica sand dust.

"I've worked in those mines; anybody who says there's no dust is not telling the truth," said Matt Main of the town of Glenwood.

Main said he is not against mining but felt this project "just doesn't seem smart," and some families will move as a result.

"This is ... dividing a lot of people in the town, and I don't like it," he said.

Several supporters of the mine also spoke, expressing doubt over health concerns and telling the council that the community needs the jobs that the mine will bring.

"I believe that Glenwood City needs jobs, and they need them now," said Judi Holmquist, a town of Glenwood resident who lives near the proposed mine site.

Holmquist said she isn't afraid of dust from the mine, as there are environmental regulations in place. She said any risks associated with the mine will be worth the jobs it brings.

Helquist, the lawyer for Vista Sand, said the project is expected to create about 40 full-time positions. A total of 383 acres will be mined in 40-acre phases over the course of 30 years, he said.

The mining issue has been contentious for the western Wisconsin city of 1,200.

Last year, it prompted a recall effort my mine opponents against Mayor Larson and two city council members, but all three won their recall races and were reelected this spring.

A group of mine opponents protested with signs outside the Glenwood City Community Center before Monday's city council meeting.